National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2008

Work is starting at Oberlin to convert the college’s Williams Ice Rink into a field house that will provide an indoor practice space for varsity and club teams.

The college plans to install a monofilament turf field in a renovation that primarily will serve the spring sports of baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s lacrosse.

“With the closing of Jones Field House, this conversion of Williams will allow our student-athletes to practice and train year-round in a modernized indoor facility without having to worry about the ever-changing weather during the year,” Mike Snyder, Oberlin director of athletics, said.

Williams Field House also will feature skylights and side windows, and will be accessible not only through its main entrance but also from the Oberlin Sports Medicine Center.

Major leaguer Pride named Gallaudet coach

Curtis Pride, the only deaf Major League Baseball player of the sport’s modern era, will coach the baseball team at Gallaudet.

Pride, whose best season statistically was with the Detroit Tigers in 1996 when he batted .300 and hit 10 home runs, played most recently with the Los Angeles Angels and also recorded playing time with four other major league teams.

“I had been seriously considering coaching as my next career move after my retirement from playing professional baseball, this year,” Pride said. “I am very excited about this opportunity not only to turn the Gallaudet baseball team into a consistent winner, but also to make a positive impact on the players’ lives, both on and off the field.”

Pride capped his 1996 season by winning Major League Baseball’s Tony Conigliaro Award, given annually to a player who overcomes adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage.

Now, he’ll be in a position to teach those attributes to Gallaudet players.

“I am excited about learning sign language,” he said about his preparations for working with team members. “I look forward to helping the athletes become better ballplayers by teaching them some of the things I learned from my experiences in the major leagues. My philosophy is to play baseball in the most fundamental way, which is to execute a lot of little things necessary to win ball games. I expect the players to play up to their ability, to play hard the right way, and to have fun.”

McGinlay collects 300th soccer victory

Paul McGinlay won his 300th men’s soccer game when Trinity (Texas) beat Southwestern (Texas) November 1.

McGinlay, now in his 18th season as coach at the school, led the unbeaten Tigers into its first action in this year’s Division III Men’s Soccer Championship last night.

His .829 winning percentage is one of the best among Division III’s active men’s soccer coaches, and he coached his unbeaten and untied 2003 team to a Division III title. He also has led the Tigers to 11 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference titles.